1972 Chevy Super Cheyenne - Goin' Postal

We have all been asked that ridiculous question from at least one high school guidance counselor or teacher: "If you had a million dollars what would you do with it?" As if by addressing this question it would map out what our future profession should be, and how to attain it. In reality, most people decide their career by utilizing three methods: follow their dreams, follow in their parents' footsteps, or simply try on everything and see what fits. For the most part, the best we can hope for is a job we like and a hobby we love. As for Gary Garret Jr., of Lewisville, Texas, he ended up with the best of both worlds.

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Gary Jr. chose method No. 2-he followed in his father's footsteps by joining the U.S. Postal Service. Although they share the same profession, it's not the only thing the two have in common. Gary Jr. also shares his father's love of hot rods. Even though Gary's profession may be notorious for mental breakdowns and for inspiring the "Going Postal!" phrase, it has allowed Gary to engage in two of the activities he enjoys most: building hot rods and spending quality time with his old man. Over the years the father-son combo has teamed up for multiple creations, including their latest project.

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Early one morning while making his rounds (yeah, I threw some Cash in there), Gary spotted an old Chevy truck along his postal route. The old girl appeared to be in decent condition, other than some slight body damage on the right rear quarter-panel. Further inspection brought delight to Gary: he discovered the Chevy was still sporting its original paint and interior, and the odometer checked in at just over 56,000 original miles. After some mild negotiation, Gary was the new proud owner of a 1972 Chevrolet Super Cheyenne.

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The first order of business was the chassis. "Gary squared," meaning the father/son duo both named Gary, chose to stick with the stock frame and simply modify it. First they outfitted the chassis with a custom trans crossmember for their fresh Turbo 350. Then the stock rear springs were swapped for a set of Coil Spring Specialties drop springs to bring the rear 4 inches closer to the pavement. Up front, the Garys also equipped the frame with Coil Spring Specialties 1-inch drop springs and 2-inch drop spindles. Since they planned on concealing the exhaust pipes, they made openings in the frame to house the pipes and also mounted a 16-gallon fuel tank outback behind the rear axle. With the frame intact, it was time to shift focus to the powerplant. They decided on an '89 Chevy 350, with a few modifications of course. Gary Jr., an accomplished mechanic, fitted the 350 with a Holley 700 double-pumper carburetor, Federal Mogul 10:1 pistons, and a Comp Cams Magnum 292 cam. He also added Chevrolet cast aluminum valve covers and a Barry Grant air cleaner to bring life to the engine compartment. The exhaust system uses Dynomax headers and Flowmaster mufflers. Adding some personality to the truck, the exhaust now exits from the body in front of the rear wheels, similar to a NASCAR vehicle.

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With the undercarriage complete, it was time for a facelift on the exterior. After the repairs were made to the rear quarter-panel, they proceeded to remove and shave the cargo light and gas filler. They also removed the stock trim and swapped to one-piece windows. When it came to the paint scheme, the Garys decided that sometimes the best way to teach an old dog new tricks is to seek out foreign influence. In this case, they decided to spray the old Chevy with a combination of Acura NSX Indie-Yellow and GM Arctic White. For the finishing touches, Jr. and Sr. had the bumpers re-chromed and installed a custom roll pan in the rear.

Inside the Super Cheyenne the Garys went with black-and-white vinyl and fabric-nothing special, yet timeless and just right for the truck's attitude. However, they did install custom black-and-white door panels. Other keynotes include a new Vintage Air unit and a tachometer-they also removed the ashtray. After four years and countless hours in the garage, the father and son tandems Chevy was finally complete and ready for the road. Along with creating the latest addition to the Garys' collection, they also showed the rest of us a whole new way to "Go Postal!"